What Shows on a Police Report, and How do I Get a Copy?

If you’ve been charged with a crime in Nevada, the contents of the police report are sure to be of interest. You have the legal right to obtain a copy, and doing so will certainly be to your benefit. Nevertheless, while it is always possible to secure the document on your own, it is usually best to leave this task in the capable hands of your criminal defense attorneys. As they deal with the intricacies of mounting your defense, the information they find in this report will prove of immeasurable assistance.

What Does My Police Report Show?

While the contents of any police report will differ according to the nature of the particular incident in question, the vast majority will have certain things in common. Most will include:

• The case number.
• The type of incident.
• The address at which the incident took place.
• The date on which the incident occurred.
• The name of the reporting officer.
• The name of the person preparing the report.
• The name, description and contact number of each witness.
• The type of weapon or weapons used, if any.

The evidence section of the police report will enumerate any items that may shed light on the case. This will include such things as:

• Surveillance footage.
• Footprints or fingerprints.
• Blood stains.
• Any other incriminating elements found at the scene.

In addition to listing the above components, the report will contain a written description of the incident as it allegedly took place. This section will attempt to give in detail:

• A full description of all suspects, including their presumed ages, the clothing they wore and the things they allegedly said or did.
• Witness’ statements.
• The disposition and current location of existing evidence.
• The observations of attending detectives.

Each item on the police report will be of vital importance to your Nevada criminal attorneys, but it must be accurate. If this should turn out not to be the case, it is critical that you have it amended immediately. Your lawyers can see to this essential detail.

How Do I Obtain a Copy of My Police Report?

Your police report is a government document to which the state of Nevada will allow access in most cases. Depending on the nature of the case, however, not all information may be consistently available for public dissemination. For example, Nevada considers juvenile criminal information in particular to be confidential and routinely takes pains to conceal it.  If you should choose to obtain your police report without the help of a criminal attorney, you will need to provide:

• Your name.
• The report number if you know it.
• The type of crime or incident.
• The date and time of its occurrence.
• The location at which it took place.
• The full name of each person involved.

How Do I Make the Request?

The state of Nevada allows you to obtain your police crime report either in person or through the mail. When making a written inquiry, you will have to include a notarized authorization, a current copy of your government-issued photo identification and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. You must also include a check or money order to cover any applicable fee. It may take as long as a month to receive a reply by mail.  When time is of the essence, you can speed the process by requesting your report in person at police headquarters. Doing so will also give you the opportunity to ask questions and seek further direction. You will need to show an up-to-date form of photo ID, and you can expect that someone there will likely copy it for recording purposes.

Doing it the Better Way

Because the information contained in your police report can prove vital to building a successful defense, it is always best to let your criminal defense attorneys obtain it personally. This will give them a head start at reviewing the facts, interviewing witnesses and doing a bit of detective work on their own. In this way, when your day in court arrives, your lawyers will be thoroughly prepared and you, yourself, will be one step ahead of the game.

If you should find yourself facing criminal charges, never try to fight them on your own. You have the constitutional right to legal representation, and the sooner you obtain it, the better. Don’t waste a minute in mounting your defense. Do yourself a favor and call Weiner Law Group today.